Body-bolster for railway-cabs



A. WARD.

Car Truck.

Patend 1111.921, 1859.

ANPHOTq-LITHD. 0. N.Y. (DSMRNE'S PROCESS.)

ITEE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AMBROSE WARD, OF ALTOONA, PENNSYLVANIA.

BODY-BOLSTER FOB. RAILWAY-CARS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 24,512, dated June 21, 1859; Ressued September 2,

To altwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AMBRosE WARD, of Altoona, in the county of Blair and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Truss Body-Bolsters of IiailroadCars; and I do hereby declare that the following isa full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification.

Figure l, is a transverse section through the center of the truss body bolster, center plates, and truck bolster of a car. Fig. 2 is a top or .birds-eye view of ditto. a top view of a portion of the upper and lower center plates, and one of the struts or lugs against which the end of the truss timiers of the body bolster rests. Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the center plates and adjacent parts.

Similar letters in the figures refer to corresponding parts.

In the ordinary construction of railroadcars the sills or bottom side-timbers are united with the ends of the body-holsters by mortise and tenon. The entireweight to be transported rests upon the body-bolster, and these in turn are supported upon the center plates. The weight of the car and its ccntents falls chiefly upon the tenons at the extremities of the body-bolsters, and this pressure is resisted or upheld by the central support given to the holsters by the vcenter plates. The tendency of the load therefore is to depress and break down the extremities of the bolsters, and to throw up the middle thereof so Athat the holsters will assume a convex form. When the load is so great as to produce such deflection, it is obvious, first that the free movement of the truck is prevented in turning around curves, and, second, that the safety of the car, under the jumping and swaying motion of ordinary travel, is endangered. It might also be expected that the body-bolsters and center plates would soon become broken by the tendency to detiection before-named. It might further be expected that the ends of the sills, Where they are Vmortised to the bolsters, would soon become broken under the enormous pressure to which they are subjected. And such, indeed, are the facts which eX- perience demonstrates. The first and earliest repairs which freight-cars require usu- Fig. 3 is.

"extremities of the bolsters, I combine with the ends of the sills G, two inclined truss -timbers F, which extend from the inner sides of the sills G, downward to and against lugs K', .which'rise .vertically from the center plate D, with Awhich they are cast and of which they form apart. These lugs may be of tapering, straight, or other form. Be-l tween the lugs K, a horizontal bar J is secured, so that the lugs K cannot be `crushed inward. The sills G, trusses F, and center plate D are all firmly combined or held to-v gether by means of transverse tension rods I,

' of wrought iron, with nuts and screws at their ends; and when all the parts are properly made it will be seen that the weight of the car and contents is for the most part transferred, through the medium of the trusses F, to the center plate D, and that the bolster C, is greatly relieved from such weight. The ends of the trusses F are combined with the sills G, by means of metallic plates or straps H which extend in Z form,

the under to the upper part of the sills G,'

and form a ledge under which the upper surface vof the extremity of the trusses E, fit. The sills Gr rest upon the extremities of the bolster' C, but no mortising or other weakening joint is required. The tension rods I may be tightened to any desired draft to prevent deflection in the bolsters and keep the cars in shape.

Another striking and highly important advantage of my combination is that, should the load or the shrinkage of the wood ever cause a deflection of the bolster C, and thus cause a heavy friction upon the side bearings S, so as to prevent the free turning of the truck, the diiculty may be quickly obviated by screwing up the tension rods I, and thus relieving the bolster' C. No means of relieving the bolster are provided in cars of the ordinary construction. The great friction caused by the pressure and strain which comes on the side bearings S, is, in the ordinary mode of constructing the bolsters and center pla-tes, a frequent cause of the jumping of the cars from the track in assing around curves.

The lateral bearing, points of the center plates are usually placed Vso far from the center or axis of motion that, in turning a curve, a large lateral friction surface is presented between the parts of the plates which the lateral thrust brings into contact. Again, the usual construction of the center plates is such yas to render it impossible for proper lubrication to be employed or conveniently maintained between the rubbing surfaces of the plates.

To prevent the cars from jumping from the tracks in passing curves, and thus to diminish the danger to life and property, I have materially changed the form of the center plates. The vertical bearing of the plates is at (d), which is a ring or flange cast upon the under surface of plate D. The flange (d) rests upon the face of plate B, and the two surfaces thus brought together form, as stated, Vertical bearings or supports for the car. rlhe said vertical bearings, the friction whereof is never increased by the act of tur/ning curves, is thus placed at a distance, comparatively from the kingbolt, the width of vertical. bearing surface thereby increased, and the steadiness of the car, when under headway, is thus promoted.

The lower plate B, upon each side of the point where the flange (cl) rests, is provided with an elevation or ring (el, b) and these two rings form a cup for holding oil or other lubricating material. Outside of the ring (5'), and projecting from the upper plate D, there is another ring or flange (b) which extends below the top of the ring (b) and forms a cover which eRectually protectsthe before-named cup containing oil, from the ingress of dirt or water; and it also prevents the escape of the lubrieating material by the jolting or swaying of (e) does not rest vertically on plate B; but

aspace is left between them. The lateral bearing surfaces of the plates, upon which all the weight falls when the car turns around a curve is between the sides of the rings 6').

The center plates B, D, are secured to their respective bolsters A, C, by screw' bolts in any desired manner.

The king-bolt (c) is of the usual construction and passes through the center plates between the rings (e, e) as shown. The lateral bearing surfaces (e, e) being placed next to and immediately around the king-bolt, greater steadiness and strength of all these parts 'are secured.

VHaving described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Pattent,

l. The arrangement and' combination of the trusses F, center plate D, sills G, and tension rods I, substantially as and for the purpose herein shown and described.

2. Providing the center plate D, with lugs K, protecting flange or cap (b) lateral bearing flange (e) at the center, fitting into cup in plate B, the vertical bearingzfla'nge (d) fitting into the cup or groove in pla-te B; the whole combined and arranged as and for the purposes herein shown and described.

" A. WARD.

Witnesses:

RICHARD GILL, A. D. CHERRY. 

